Rebecca Adlington's double gold medal success will ensure her lucrative earnings from sponsorship and endorsement deals, with her potential boosted by the fact the Olympics are coming to London next, say experts.

'Certainly her phone will be ringing with agents who want to represent her. If she isn't already represented by someone, she certainly will be soon,' said Karen Earl, chairwoman of the commercial-sponsorship consultancy Synergy.

'A number of brands will want to be associated with her. As I was watching the television I was thinking "Well, girl, you're in the money".'

Kevin Roberts, editorial director of sports-industry analysts Sport Business Group, said Adlington's success could not have been better timed. 'I don't think any British athletes since Coe and Ovett have had the same platform as these guys have as we build up to 2012,' he said. 'The coincidence of it being London's Games next means there is an enormous spotlight on these people.'

He added that sponsors of the 2012 Games would all be looking to sign up British Olympians as their ambassadors, and that Adlington was in pole position. 'She appears to be an extremely engaging and articulate person,' he said. 'And those are the qualities sponsors look for in a really big way. It's not just a question of being a winner in the pool, or on the pitch. The people who will really make money are those that have sporting prowess and a personality to match. So she has got more opportunity than any previous generations of swimmers have had.'

As Adlington powered her way to a second gold medal and new world record in Beijing, back home in Mansfield, family and friends watching her performance on TV could barely contain themselves. 'Everybody in the room was on their feet screaming and crying,' said Laura, 21, one of Rebecca's two sisters. 'There's no word for the emotion. It was absolute jubilation. Her face when she looked up at the board and realised what she had done was just fantastic.'

Her other sister, Chloe, 24, added: 'We knew she would do well if she got a good start, but it's fantastic for her to get two golds.' Also urging her on was her grandfather, Gordon Bennett, 80, whose favourite saying over the past, momentous, week has been: 'Go on, Rebecca. Dig in.'

With parents Steve, 50, and Kay 48, poolside for the final, the two sisters had remained at home in the Nottinghamshire town, which is now planning elaborate victory celebrations for the 19-year-old who has put it on the map. An open-top bus tour, firework display, the freedom of the town and the naming of her local swimming pool after her are among the tributes in store.

And for the teenager with a passion for shoes, another treat awaits. The mayor of Mansfield, Tony Egginton, said: 'When we did our Olympic send-off, I promised her a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes if she bought back gold.'